eSure creates customer 'information hub'

Web and phone insurer eSure is creating a single "information hub" to improve the management and quality of customer data and reduce duplication.

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The technology is a plug-and-play architectural component that sits on top of eSure's various information systems to create a master customer data set.

Mark Foulsham, head of IT at eSure, said there has been an explosion in business volumes related to customers coming through the online aggregator and price comparison websites.

He said the new hub will reduce any duplicated or fragmented customer records, help track customer needs and increase cross-sell opportunities.

Foulsham said: "If there are three or four systems with information on the same customer the information hub has the ability to tell you which one of those is the correct one. It will be able to tell you what portfolio of products a customer has, whether they have recently been online for a quote and any contact they have had with us."

Foulsham said the project, which is due to complete later this year, was driven from the IT department because of concern about the proliferation of customer information in different systems around the business.

He said: "It is about making sure the wealth of data we have doesn't just keep getting larger and larger. It's a washing machine to scrub your data - this is the master data. It gives greater access to data and the right information."

As well as providing better customer information to eSure's marketing and frontline sales staff, the system will reduce duplication in data and, as a result, reduce storage costs.

eSure is using a master data management product called Consumer from US supplier Initiate Systems.

Foulsham said: "It is reasonably plug-and-play."